Lawmakers in Macau could sign off on the city’s new gaming law as early as June 21. The final draft includes a tax increase of 1 percent, with a possible reduction for operators who draw patrons from beyond Mainland China. Of major concern is the fate of the city’s satellite casinos.

After a 14-year effort to develop a casino in Muskegon County, Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (l.) dashed the dreams of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, which had worked tirelessly for approval of a $180 million casino hotel.

The planned listing of Okada Manila on the NASDAQ has been postponed by three months to September 30, following the takeover of the Entertainment City property by former head Kazuo Okada (l.).

Blackstone’s takeover of Crown Resorts is now complete, following approvals from both the Federal Court of Australia and the Western Australian Gaming and Wagering Commission. Tony Buti (l.), Western Australia’s top regulator, said that Blackstone would have to comply with “stringent conditions” moving forward.

British Columbia’s Cullen Commission, headed by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen (l.), has released its report on money laundering in the Canadian province. It reserves unrelenting criticism for the B.C. Lottery Corporation and numerous other high-level officials.

Greece’s Finance Minister Christos Staikouras (l.) has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Gek Terna and its consortium. This paves the way for the €1.1-billion Inspire Athens casino resort in Ellinikon. After the withdrawal of initial operator Mohegan Gaming, Hard Rock International has stepped forward to operate the project.

The contract between Local 54 of Unite Here and Atlantic City casinos expired May 31. Negotiations are not moving the needle, so the union voted to authorize a strike. Whether they follow through or not depends on future talks.

Gaming stocks have taken a hit recently because of the perceived discretionary spending that might be impacted by inflation, high gas prices and rising interest rates.

This week, the podcast features a discussion with Virginia Valentine, the president of the Nevada Resort Association, about how the rebound from the great shutdown has worked for the largest resorts in Nevada.

A $500 million revolving loan to Wynn Macau from its U.S. parent is seen as a sign of ongoing weakness for Macau gaming operators. It suggests the city’s casino giants are finding it hard to borrow from banks.

Sands China has issued a statement saying a lawsuit against its president, Wilfred Wong (l.), will have no impact on the company. It also says Wong will “vigorously” defend claims against him by a former employer.

The Swedish government is giving up on plans to try to block unlicensed gaming platforms from allowing Swedish residents to play. It determined this would be too difficult to enforce, and it might lack the authority.

Entain has agreed to acquire BetCity, the leading online sports betting and gaming operator in the Netherlands. The purchase price was $887 million. The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The Kindred Group has obtained a license from the regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) to offer online gaming in the Netherlands. Kindred plans to launch its flagship Unibet brand, according to Kindred CEO Henrik Tjärnström (l.).

Metropolitan Gaming has finished the acquisition of Park Lane Club London (l.). This occurred through an asset sale for Silverbond Enterprises Ltd. The club operates on two floors of the Hilton Hotel in Mayfair.

Queensland Attorney General Shannon Fentiman (l.) has confirmed that the state will launch its own inquiry into the dealings of Star Entertainment, after the company was recently ruled unsuitable to operate its Sydney casino in New South Wales.

Tabcorp CEO Adam Rytenskild (l.) has teamed up with The Alliance for Gambling Reform and the Australian Hotel Association to lobby for synchronized tax rates between online and land-based gaming operators. Most online providers are international, and subject to lower rates.

India’s government issued a media advisory requesting they not accept ads promoting online betting. The advisory noted online betting ads are "misleading" and do not "appear to” conform with numerous regulatory acts.

Zitro Digital will partner with EveryMatrix to port its most successful land-based titles for online casinos via CasinoEngine, the EveryMatrix iGaming integration platform.

BetMGM will partner with PokerGO to host the BetMGM Poker Championship final table and a $25,000 freeroll tournament at Aria Resort in Las Vegas.

Pragmatic Play has launched a dedicated live blackjack studio on behalf of Betway Group, which will use the studio to livestream blackjack to its sites.

Online and retail sportsbook operators may now apply for sports betting licenses in Ohio, following the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s recent approval of provisional licensing rules.

The Colorado Office of the State Auditor has uncovered flaws in how the state Division of Gaming regulates sports betting. The audit found that the division conducted inadequate background checks of licensed operators during the first year of regulated sports betting.

The sports betting measure proponents hope to qualify for the November ballot has achieved a landmark: it passed the halfway mark for verifiable signatures. It aims to amend California’s constitution to allow mobile sports betting. Funds raised would go to fight homelessness.

Before sports betting and casinos were easily accessible, people bet on the outcome of jai alai matches. Now the sport is on its last leg—but Scott Savin (l.), COO of Magic City, is making a pitch to bring it back.

May is a slow time in the world of sports betting. For the week ending June 5, the industry raked in only $270 million in handle. Don’t get too down, however—since the launch of mobile wager, the state has brought in $276 million in taxes, which makes officials such as Gov. Kathy Hochul (l.).

Ten months after its sports betting market launched, the Wyoming Gaming Commission is reporting 30,000 unique users. David Carpenter, who oversees the rollout, said, “I think we’re right in line with our numbers compared to other states, we’re just on a different level because of our population.”

The North Carolina House Judiciary Committee had yet to put its version of a sports betting bill on the agenda, and it’s mid-June. The session ends for the year at month’s end, but Rep. Jason Saine (l.) remains optimistic.

Rupert Murdoch (l.) and company came calling for a piece of PointsBet, but the sportsbook turned down $153 million for its Australian division. Turns out, PointsBet didn’t need the money.

Is Japan planning to permit wagers on more types of athletic events, including baseball? Local media say yes, but lawmakers say no. And the country’s baseball league is also against expanded wagers.

Maryland has plenty of locations to place a bet, from large casinos to small taverns. But approval of mobile betting still eludes the state. Officials hope they can convince lawmakers to pass legislation before the NFL ends in ’22.

IGT used to be known for the slot machines they manufactured. Now they are also known for powering mobile sports betting apps. The latest use of the app is a partnership with SuperBook Sports in Tennessee.

Casino Arizona (l.) chose OpenBet for its retail sportsbook. The company provides the sportsbook with a slew of retail betting solutions, from self-serve terminals to screen management.

FuboTV unveiled pick’em games last weekend, becoming the first company to integrate the popular free-to-play sports contests into the live TV streaming experience.

The name says it all— BetBlocker is a free software designed to restrict gamblers from going overboard. A partnership with DraftKings will improve access to such software.

Gaming Innovation Group has teamed with an unknown partner to launch an online sportsbook along with player account data services in Colombia, via its subsidiary Sportnco Gaming.

The New Mexico Racing Commission has been ordered by a District Judge to act within 90 days on an application by Coronado Partner’s for the state’s sixth and final license. The partners sought a writ of mandamus to force the commission to act on their request to build a racino in Tucumcari.

The town of East Windsor, Connecticut has initiated a move to seize land owned by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes via eminent domain, after the tribes abandoned plans for a casino there.

Ho-Chunk’s proposed racino in South Sioux City will have to wait until WarHorse Gaming projects in Lincoln and Omaha, which recently received provisional licenses, are completed. Ho-Chunk CEO Lance Morgan (l.) said that the company has to prioritize its resources over the next year.

Horse racing events at the White Pine County Fair in Ely and the Elko County Fair have received approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, even though there were some hiccups at both events last year.

The Temporary by American Place casino is expected to open in a weather-resistant tent in Waukegan, Illinois this fall. The permanent American Place casino hotel (l.) will open in 2025, according to developer Full House.

The Oak View Group has made its mark developing arenas. They upped the ante with plans to build a hotel casino in Las Vegas centered around a new arena. The company has signed three heavyweights for the cause, including former Raiders executive Marc Baidan (l.).

The decision by the Biden administration to end the pre-departure Covid-19 testing requirements as of June 12 has gotten an enthusiastic thumbs up from the gaming industry. American Gaming Association’s CEO Bill Miller (l.) said it will help the U.S. gaming industry recover from the pandemic.

Nick Hogan (l.), a slot expert at the AGS GameON conference, showed research results that the majority of slot floors contain a disproportionate number of low-performing games.

The opening of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe’s Warm Springs Casino (l.) remains on hold as the Comanche and Kiowa nations’ federal lawsuit moves forward. Those tribes claim Warm Springs was built on land not belonging to the Fort Sill Apache.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (l.) has signed a tribal state gaming compact with the Tejon Indian Tribe. The compact still needs the legislature’s nod. The tribe wants to build a $600 million casino and hotel in partnership with Hard Rock International.

Bragg Gaming has named Yaniv Sherman, a 20-year veteran in the field of online gaming and top executive of 888 Holdings, as the company’s new chief executive officer.

Lisa Girard has been appointed to the role of chief financial officer at Bluberi. Girard has over 20 years of financial and accounting experience, primarily with manufacturers and defense contractors.

NOVOMATIC Americas has announced that Kathleen McLaughlin has been promoted to vice president of North American sales, marketing. McLaughlin has been with the company since 2017, in various marketing roles.

Gaming Laboratories International has appointed Steve May (l.) as client solutions executive and Samuel Grunther as account executive. Both have years of experience in both operational and regulatory roles.

Jason Yeghiayan is the new director of product development and integration at Marker Trax, a cashless gaming credit and payment company.

Veteran sports media executive Eric Conrad has been appointed to oversee Sportradar’s partnerships and content for North America. Conrad will report to COO Eduard Blonk.

Gila River Resorts & Casinos has announced the leadership team for the new Santan Mountain Casino in Chandler, Arizona. The team includes General Manager Blake Katnelson (l.).

Zitro’s Altius Glare cabinet (l.) made its debut at three Barrière Group casinos in France, along with the Wheel of Legends multi-game progressive link.